Mayor Villaraigosa today changed his argument on increasing electricity rates. From "we need the money for renewable energy," it's become "do it now or the city goes bankrupt." Also, a plea to make public transit more "user-friendly." On our rebroadcast of To the Point, America's healthcare debate caused a schism between Roman Catholic bishops and 59,000 nuns. In Europe, the sex-abuse scandal has reached into the Vatican.

FROM THIS EPISODE

Mayor Villaraigosa says that if the Department of Water and Power can't raise its rates, Los Angeles might go bankrupt. We get the latest in that long-running dispute and ask whether more drivers would give up their cars if public transit were more "user-friendly." On our rebroadcast of today's To the Point, America's healthcare debate caused a schism between Roman Catholic bishops and 59,000 nuns. In Europe, the sex-abuse scandal has reached into the Vatican. What's the role of priestly celibacy? Is there a crisis of confidence in all-male authority?

Banner image: Cardinal Sean Brady (L), Primate of All Ireland and Archbishop hands a copy of the Pope Benedict XVI's pastoral letter to the Catholics of Ireland to a child at St. Patrick's Cathedral in Armagh, Northern Ireland, on March 20, 2010. Photo: Peter Muhly/AFP/Getty Images

The US Conference of Catholic Bishops supports universal healthcare, but took a stand against the Senate bill on the grounds that it might allow federal money to subsidize abortions. It turned out that many pro-life members of Congress were listening to other voices. Some 59,000 Catholic nuns, 600 Catholic hospitals and 1400 Catholic nursing homes all endorsed the bill that President Obama signed into law today.

Mayor Villaraigosa has been pushing for higher electricity rates to help the Department of Water and Power convert to renewable energy. Some city council members are skeptical. Today, in a briefing paper, the Mayor issued a warning: if the rates don't go up, Los Angeles might go bankrupt.

Los Angeles Times business columnist David Lazarus doesn't ride public transit to work every day but, in today's paper, he wrote that he would — if it were more "user-friendly." After a week of trying it while his car was in the shop, he says, "it's almost as if dozens of entities" in the regional network "are conspiring to make the system as unwelcoming as possible."